1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a combination weighing device and a combination weighing and packaging system. More particularly, the present invention relates to a combination weighing device and a combination weighing and packaging system that weighs each type of a plurality of types of articles, and then conducts combination weighing based upon their weights.
2. Background Information
A combination weighing device that mixes and discharges a plurality of types of articles, e.g., one that conducts xe2x80x9cmixedxe2x80x9d weighing, is typically used on frozen food or snack food production lines. With this type of combination weighing device, a plurality of types of articles are each divided into portions having a predetermined weight or quantity, mixed together, and then discharged therefrom as a combination article.
With these types of combination weighing devices, quality management must be performed on the articles discharged from these devices because they are mainly used on production lines that handle food. Quality management involves randomly checking the quality, the weight, and other characteristics of each respective article that makes up the combination article. In addition, it is also necessary to keep each respective article that was sampled for a predetermined period of time so that problems with quality can be traced back to their source.
However, in order to confirm the quality, weight and other characteristics of each respective article in a mixed article, they must be first sorted by hand, and this process consumes a great deal of time and labor. In addition, because the sorting is conducted by hand, there are times when article sorting will not be carried out properly, and mistakes will occur.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to make the task of managing the quality of the combination articles easier.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a combination weighing device weighs each type of a plurality of types of articles, and then carries out a combination weighing based upon the weights of the plurality of types of articles. The combination weighing device comprises a calculation means, a normal discharge means, a sample selection means, and a sample discharge means. The calculation means conducts a mixed combination weighing of the plurality of types of the plurality of articles weighed according to a predetermined ratio. A normal discharge means discharges the articles selected by the calculation means. A sample selection means selects a specific type of article from amongst the plurality of types of articles selected by the calculation means. A sample discharge means discharges the specific type of article selected by the sample selection means.
In this combination weighing device, a plurality of types of a plurality of articles are weighed, and then based upon their weights, are combined and then discharged by the normal discharge means. On the other hand, if the quality, weight, or other characteristics of each type of article are to be checked, a specific type of article to be checked is selected by the sample selection means. The specific type of article selected by the sample selection means is discharged as a random inspection sample by the sample discharge means.
Here, when each type of article handled by a combination weighing unit is to be randomly inspected, the specific type of article selected will be discharged. This eliminates the need to manually sort that type of article from the combination article in order to inspect it, and makes the work of quality management easier.
In addition, when expensive types of articles are used, and samples are discharged in the mixed state, the expensive articles are discharged at the same time.
If the sample inspection is to occur on a type of article other than the expensive type, the expensive type of article will be wasted and thus cost the manufacturer money. However, with the combination weighing device of the present invention, a sample inspection can be performed more inexpensively because it can discharge the specific type of article desired to be inspected.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the sample selection means selects a plurality of specific types of articles from amongst the plurality of types of articles.
Here, the sample selection means selects a plurality of types of articles from amongst the plurality of types of articles handled by the combination weighing device. Because of this, a plurality of types of articles to be mixed together by the combination weighing device can be separately discharged as samples. In addition, all of the types of articles handled by the combination weighing device can be selected; and this makes it possible to separately discharge all of the types of articles to be discharged from the combination weight device as samples. This allows flexibility in the type of inspections to be carried out.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the sample discharge means individually and serially discharges each type of article.
Here, specific types of articles can be separately discharged. This eliminates the need to manually sort the types of articles to be inspected, and thus makes the work of quality management easier.
In addition, individual units from the types of articles one wants to inspect can be discharged. For example, articles that are very sticky easily create discrepancies in weight because they often stick to the combination weighing device and are not discharged therefrom. Furthermore, manually sorting them from other types of articles that they are combined with is very difficult. By separately discharging these sticky articles, their inspection becomes even easier.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the combination weighing device further comprises a switching means. During normal operations, the switching means switches between article discharge by means of the normal discharge means and article discharge by means of the sample discharge means.
In this combination weighing device, when switching is to occur by means of the switching means during normal operations, normal operations will be suspended, and the sample discharge means will discharge a sample.
Here, a sample can be discharged during normal operations. This allows samples to be obtained at arbitrary times during normal operations. Thus, because it is possible to inspect samples taken during normal operations, inspections that conform to reality are made possible.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the switching means discharges the articles by means of the normal discharge means after discharging the articles by means of the sample discharge means.
Here, the combination weighing device returns to normal operations after a sample has been discharged. Thus, because articles can be discharged as samples without stopping the operation of the combination weighing device, the samples can be inspected without stopping the production line.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the combination weighing device further comprises a reservation means that reserves a selection by means of the sample selection means. In addition, the sample selection means makes a selection based upon the reservation in the reservation means.
Here, because sample discharge can be programmed to occur in advance, the samples can be discharged automatically and reliably.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the reservation means can schedule a selection to be made at a particular time, at fixed time periods, each time a predetermined number of articles have been discharged by the normal discharge means, or as a predetermined percentage of each production run of articles.
Here, samples can be discharged based upon fixed criteria. In addition, it becomes possible to periodically discharge samples according to the criteria stored in the reservation means. In other words, it becomes possible to conduct inspections according to the settings entered in the reservation means, and also allows flexibility in inspections. Thus, this makes it possible to reliably conduct periodic inspections of discharged samples to check the quality thereof. In addition, it also becomes possible to ensure that quality problems with the articles can be traced.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the combination weighing device further comprises a sample sorting device that sorts the articles that are discharged by the sample discharge means.
The sample sorting means sorts articles discharged when the sample discharge means is employed to a discharge area that is different from that used during normal operations.
Here, articles discharged during normal operations can be clearly distinguished from samples because the sample sorting means is provided herein. Thus, it becomes unnecessary to distinguish between and sort normally discharged articles and samples.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a combination weighing and packaging system comprises a combination weighing device and a packaging device. The packaging device packages and discharges articles discharged from the combination weighing unit.
Like the articles discharged during normal operations, this combination weighing and packaging system also packages samples in the packaging device that have been discharged from the combination weighing device.
Here, because the articles discharged from the combination weighing device are packaged, the samples can be both handled and sorted with ease. In particular, even when sorting occurs downstream of the combination weighing device and the packaging device, the sorting is made easier because the samples are packaged. In addition, packaging the samples prevents them from being scattered and spilled around the vicinity of the devices. Moreover, storing the samples is made easier, and tracing quality problems with the articles is made even easier and more reliable.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the combination weighing and packaging system further comprises a weight checker that measures the weights of the articles packaged by the packaging device.
In this system, it can be confirmed whether or not the weights of each packaged article is within a predetermined weight range because the weights of the packaged articles can be confirmed by the weight checker. For example, because the weight of an article that will be used as a sample will be lighter than a combination article discharged during normal operations, it becomes possible to check the weight of each article and sort them according to whether they are normal articles or samples. Note also that because the weight checker is permanently disposed on the production line as a weight inspection device that checks all of the articles, a new device that distinguishes between sample articles and articles discharged during normal operations is not required.
These and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, which, taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment of the present invention.